Iím a woman who loves Jesus, my husband, my children, and everyday I try to show my love more completely to them. I also like to laugh and be with friends. And as of December 2008, I'm a weekly newspaper columnist. You can reach me at
...

Iím a woman who loves Jesus, my husband, my children, and everyday I try to show my love more completely to them. I also like to laugh and be with friends. And as of December 2008, I'm a weekly newspaper columnist. You can reach me at erinslittlecorneroftheworld@gmail.com.

When my nephew turned nine a few years ago, I grieved for my sister-in-law; her time with him at home was halfway over. She never talked about this and I never said anything to her, but for a time it felt like the elephant in the room, the topic that was on all of our minds but the subject no one wanted to broach.

Of course, I may have been the only one worrying. This is possible.

Also of course, I started grieving the day that the halfway mark would arrive with my son. Then a week and a half ago I succumbed and cried off and on all morning and lamented to my husband via text.

Then G turned nine on Tuesday and it’s ok; I grieved and now… he’s nine. And my time with him at my breakfast table and my dinner table and eating snacks with me after school is halfway over, but I’m not the weepy mess I was that morning.

This is good.

That is where I’M at. And here are nine things where my son is at on his ninth birthday:

1. This past year he accepted Jesus as his Savior and got baptized. I’ve never written about it here or on my blog because it’s too momentous, too special, and the thoughts in my brain are too excited to get on paper. But that is the single biggest accomplishment of his past year, and the best decision he will ever make in his life. To have him simultaneously as my son and a brother in Christ puts emotion in me I did not know could occur.

2. His father brought him home from the library one day last fall with the first Harry Potter book. I was not ready for him to begin such a heavy series, but then there it was. And he gobbled it up, then finished the series as quickly as we would get him the next one. As we watched the final movie a few weeks ago together I decided it was good for him to have read the series, that it is good for him to see kids who choose to stand up and fight evil.

3. Soon after, he gobbled up the Chronicles of Narnia series, a gift from my sister and brother-in-law. He is now hoping I will read it, and asks me maybe once a week what part I’m at.

4. He’s big time into LEGOs. Little Missy bought him a set for his birthday and he was literally antsy to put it together. “I mean, Mom, I love the gift you and Dad bought me, but you know… I’m just excited to put it together.” And then asked every few hours if there would be time to put it together until he was able to complete it.

5. Big time into Minecraft but.. let’s move on.

6. Is saving his money for a pet snake.

7. Has no qualms about hooking a worm while fishing but will not kill a spider (“It’s an innocent creature!”). Is not squeamish about touching a fish but won’t drink after ANYONE, even if it’s Mountain Dew (his fave) and it’s just his dad who’s had a sip.

8. Rarely complains when I ask him to help me out with something, just an “OK,” and off he goes to complete the task. How did I get so lucky and how do I keep this up?

9. Very kind to his sisters. Concerned about them getting the same special treatment he receives. But he is also very concerned with correcting them when they step oh-so-slightly out of line.